Search Suggestions

In an effort to enhance our web site shopping experience for our customers, SMA has introduced several exciting changes to the Search Bar. These new features will allow you to find what you are looking for far more quickly than before. To help you better understand these features, this page will first go over the changes and then give you a step-by-step guide on how to use the new Search Bar.

New Features:

1.Search Suggestions Instructions -As soon as you begin to use the Search Bar, this box will appear right beneath where you are typing. This section gives brief instructions on how the Search Suggestions Box works. For more a more detailed guide, read the Step By Step instructions located further down this page.

2.Helpful Links - This section has a few useful links for quick convenience. Advanced Search takes you to a more in-depth Search page, while Contact Us takes you to a page with a form if would like to get in touch with us.

3.Item Suggestions - As you type in the Search Bar, the Search Suggestions box expands to show items that match the word you are typing. If available, you will see information such as item names, item details and item numbers. By moving down and clicking on one of these items, you will be taken to that item's Item Detail page with additional information on that item.

4.Item Preview Images - When you move down the list of Item Suggestions, if that item has an associated image you will see a small preview of that item on the right. To see a larger image for that item, click on the item's name in the Item Suggestions list.

5."Search All Items" Link - Clicking this link will take you to the Search Results page for the word you are searching for. This page is the same one you would end up at had you entered your search term and hit the "Enter" key on the keyboard or clicked on the "Search" button to the right of the Search Bar.

6.Product Categories - If available, possible categories that contain items matching the term you are searching for will appear at the bottom of the Search Suggestions box. Clicking on these category links will take you to a broad page with categories and subcategories you can drill down through to find items.

How To Use:

Step 1:

To begin, start using the Search Bar as you would have the old Search Bar. Click in the White Search Bar next to the "Seach" Button and begin typing the term you wish to search for. As soon as you click into the Search Bar, you will see the Search Suggestions box appear with short instructions and helpful links. As you type your term in, the Search Suggestions box will expand.

Note that you do not have to use the Search Suggestions Box if you do not want to, simply finish typing your search term and either hit the "Enter" key on your keyboard or click on the Red "Search" Button to being searching for your term as you would have with the older Search Bar.

Before you begin typing your search term, you can see a link called "Advanced Search" in the Search Suggestions box. If you click this link, you will be taken to the Advanced Search page. Andvanced Search has options for more detailed searching, such as searching by Item ID, Description or Part Number. There is also a link to the Contact Us form.

When you start typing in the Search Bar, thse links (as well as the short instructions to the left) will go away. If want to see the links again, delete the term you typed in and leave the Search Bar empty for a few seconds and the links will return.

When you finish typing your search term and stop, or if you stop in the middle of typing, you should see the Search Suggestions Box change and the following animated symbol appear: .
This is the Loading Icon, and it means that item suggestions for the term you are typing are loading in. If you wait a few seconds, the suggestions will appear. Depending on your term and the amount of information available, the time to wait may fluctuate but it should take no longer than a few seconds.

Step 2:

Once loaded, items matching the search term you typed in will appear in the Search Suggestions Box below the Search Bar. If available, you will see information such as item names, item details and item numbers. By moving down and clicking on one of these items, you will be taken to that item's Item Detail page with additional information, like Price, as well as section to order that item.

When you move down the list of items in the Search Suggestions Box, you may see images appear in the right side. These images are a preview of whichever item you are currently hovering over. If no images are available for the item, you may see "No Image Available" appear on the right side instead.

If you want to see larger versions of these preview images, click on the name of the item you wish to view to be taken to a more detailed page for that specific item.

Step 3:

Move down to the bottom of the Search Suggestions box to see a Product Categories section. Listed here are categories related to the term you typed in above. Clicking on any of these category names will take you to the page with broader categories and subcategories, which you can drill down to find items.

This image is an example of what happens if you type in a search term the Search Suggestions Box does not recognize. Instead of seeing any item names, images or category suggestions you will just see the "Search All Items" link. As described above, clicking this link will take you to the Search Results page for the word you are searching for. This page is the same one you would end up at had you entered your search term and hit the "Enter" key on the keyboard or clicked on the "Search" button to the right of the Search Bar.

However, if the Search Suggestions Box does not recognize the term you entered, even clicking on the Search All Items link or doing a normal search may yield no results. In that case, review the search term you entered to make sure it is correct, or make use of the Search Suggestions Box by typing in words that describe the item you want and see what it suggests for you.